It was a close call for an Ontario man who fell through the ice on Lake Simcoe while riding his ATV on Monday.

The man went out on his ATV on Monday morning near Innisfil, Ont., when he suddenly crashed through the ice and plunged into the frigid waters.

"I was just coming out, cruising along the shoreline," he told CTV Barrie. "I went out a little bit… there was one soft spot, straight down." He said he was heading out to fish when the machine broke through the ice about 30 metres from the shore.

An area man happened to witness the incident. He later described it to CTV Barrie. "I was looking at this ATV just roaring along," Arnaldo Maciel said. "Then, boom, it plunged right into the water, just like that."

Video footage of the scene captured by a local man shows the ATV rider wading in the water as he attempts to climb out.

He was eventually able to scramble out of the water. He later returned to retrieve his vehicle.

People soon came to help him, using chainsaws, wooden planks and even other ATVs. And, after a few hours, the ATV was pulled out of the lake.

Police said the incident is a warning to everyone that the ice is still too thin to venture onto.

"At this time it is not safe to be out here and this is a good example of what could happen,” Sgt. Dave Phillips, of the South Simcoe police, said.

Locals say this section of the lake was wide open with water less than one week ago. Police say they will not be laying any charges.

With a report from CTV Barrie's Rob Cooper

Photos

An ATV rider crashed through the ice into the waters of Lake Simcoe on Monday.

Locals used ropes, chainsaws and wooden planks to try and retrieve the ATV from the water.

Locals used ropes, chainsaws and wooden planks to try and retrieve the ATV from the water.